The Dawn Wardens
Overview The Dawn Wardens were formed in the last days of the Long Night by around a half dozen heroes from across the world, all of whom swore an oath to see an end to the Winter King once and for all. They united what lands were left, and led a final battle against the King. Although in the end, the Winter King and all but one of the original Wardens died, their legend spread far and wide. To honour them, in the early years of the Era of Dawn, a group of Paladins took up the mantle of the Dawn Wardens, creating an organization dedicated to protecting and serving all citizens- particularly of the wilds, but wherever danger may be. This organization is led by the Warden Commander, and the Wardens are generally military in organization. Although they do have a standard-issue uniform, most Wardens wear additional or even different armour, typically enchanted with whatever spells they find most handy- however, each Warden emblazes their armor, shield and weapon with the Warden's Crest, to inform travellers of their allegiance. Dawnbreak Citadel Built over the land where the Winter King was felled, the Dawnbreak Citadel is considered to be an inspiring beacon of trust. It is the only permanent residence of the Dawn Wardens, and as such plays a key part in their ceremonies and activities, as well as their presence on the world stage. Originally, the Citadel was just a cathedral, however as time went on, more and more people moved to live nearby, families of the Wardens serving members or even those who wished to become Wardens themselves, and hoped for the day they could take the oaths and the Creed. Over time, this city expanded, becoming the Citadel of today, ruled over by the Warden Commander and protected by the Wardens. Having stood and been expanded upon for almost the entirety of the Dawn Era, it a a beautiful display of architecture that changes and modernizes with the styles of the time. Along the walls and streets of the Citadel are marble statues of great heroes of the past and present, with the Audience Chamber where the Warden Commander sits being decorated with the statues of the original Dawn Wardens. Not all who live in the Dawnbreak Citadel are themselves Dawn Wardens. Some are aspiring knights who wish to join their order and have taken to serve and protect the shurch, while others are families of the Wardens or blacksmiths who wish to work on the weapons, often for some considerable pay. With the statues of heroes looming above, the Citadel's inner city is one of the safest and most crime-free places to live, although the occupants are devoutly religious and will often treat those who just come for safety a bit coldly compared to those who come to pray at the many altars that dot the citadel. Joining the Dawn Wardens The Dawn Wardens welcome Paladins of any god or order who uphold the standards and virtues of their Creed. They welcome any Paladin Oath to a god that does not defy their core beliefs and tenets. Due to the strict process of entry, as the Wardens only accept the Best of the Best, they are few in number, but one Warden can easily take the place of an army. Originally, the Dawn Wardesn took in any who wished to join, and while this is still the case, most of their number are Paladins and occasionally Clerics. As a Dawn Warden, you pledge yourself to their code and laws as dictated by the creed, and face any punishment that they dictate for disavowing it should you fail to stand by it. Dawn Wardens get tattooed upon them the code, written in Celestial, that they must hold themselves to. Eyes of the Wardens The Dawn Wardens, as part of their final initiation, drink deeply from a cup filled from the Soulwell. This dangerous act symbolizes the sworn oath they take to protect the spirit of the planet, and stop anything from destroying the balance of souls. Wardens who have completed this ritual are noted as having a faint blue-green glow behind their eyes, mirroring the colour of the pure liquid soulstuff. Warden's Creed Upon becoming a Warden, the prospective candidate must recite the Warden's Creed, and swear by it. Should a situation arise where a Warden is forced or decides to contradict or circumvent these oaths, the Warden Commander will hold a tribunal to decide on what, if any, should be their punishment. The Creed is listed in order from least to most important tenet. * A Warden must be fair in all dealings with mortals. * A Warden must not take the rightful possessions of an innocent. * A Warden must never leave while there are still those to be saved. * A Warden may never raise weapon in anger against an innocent. * A Warden must not allow the innocent to suffer. In some cases, a Warden may choose to end the life of a suffering innocent as an act of mercy, while this will be seen by the Tribunal, in these cases it is often consider a fair mercy, and the Warden will only be punished should it be deemed their fault the individual was suffering in the first place. A sample of the Warden's blood is taken every year, so that the Citadel can keep track of them. The Tribunal A committee presided by the Warden Commander and whatever officers are near the Citadel. The Tribunal interviews prospective recruits for the Dawn Wardens, hears mission reports, considers promotion and commendation, and even passes judgement and punishment on those considered to have broken the spirit or word of the Creed. In the case of punishment, the accused is relieved of all weapons and armor and given simple robes of cloth before being brought to stand in front of the assembled officers. Voluntarily going through this proceedure is looked upon with kinder eyes than being forced, which is seen as a sign of guilt. The Officials will then listen to any arguments for and against the actions of the Warden, and discuss their own feelings on whether the actions were justified. The Warden Commander will then decide a sentence. Common sentences include; * The Barbican: ''A prison built into an outer tower wall of the Citadel. Usually for short stays of less than a year. * ''The Oubliette: ''A prison built deep underground, beneath the dungeon and only accessible through a small hatch in the ceiling. This is where those whose sentences are indefinite are held. A prisoner here may get a hearing decades after their sentence, to decide if they have reformed enough to be let out. * ''Denouemont: ''A punishment where the Warden is expelled from the order. In the ceremony of Denouemont, they are taken to the end of the high walkway, where they can be seen by all in the Citadel, where they are stripped of their Warden properties, armor and weapons, title and, finally, the Creed tattoo is burned off their skin with a branding iron. * ''Execution: Very rare. A summary execution is dictated for cases where a Warden has gone completely rogue and refuses to return willingly to the Tribunal for judgement. This sentence can be passed out in absentia of the accused, and can be performed anywhere, although should the accused willingly surrender to a force of executors of the Wardens, they will be allowed a retrial in the Citadel itself, possibly leading to a lesser, although still strict, punishment. Any Warden who is stripped of their power has their eyes ritually gouged out, to symbolize the loss of faith that the Warden Commanders have in them, and also to stop pretenders from tricking others into trusting them with the Eyes of the Wardens.